Test discard Brad Hodge (28 not out) and Nick Jewell (5 not out) will return to the crease for Victoria on Tuesday, with a face-saving draw their only option.

The Bulls need only to draw the match to claim the title they last held in 2001-02.

Maher, who top-scored for Queensland with 223, said he could not believe how well his side had batted.

"It's almost surreal, like you just think 'is this really happening?' It's just amazing 900, and to think we could have easily gone on to get 1,000 really," he said.

"That was tempting, but I wanted to have a bit of a crack at them tonight after a couple of days in the field [and] try and get a few wickets, which we did."

Victorian coach Greg Shipperd said he wanted his batsmen to play with pride on Tuesday despite having no chance of winning the match.

"We're not enjoying being in the position we're in but certainly there's something for us to play [for]," he said.

"We'd prefer, obviously, an honourable draw with our batters fighting hard for every wicket and making Queensland earn their outright victory if they're good enough to get it. So that is certainly a focus for our team."

Dominant batting

The Bulls resumed this morning at 3 for 584, with Watson and Perren at the crease.

The pair plundered the Victorian bowling attack, batting through the entire first two sessions without loss.

They added 94 runs in the morning session, before smacking 182 in the second.

Watson notched his double century with the final ball before tea, having earlier being dropped by Shane Harwood.

The all-rounder also survived a caught and bowled appeal from David Hussey midway through the second session.

His 200 came off 340 balls and included 24 fours. It was his first double hundred on Australian soil and his first century at the Gabba.

Perren, meanwhile, proved just as difficult for the Bushrangers to contain and notched his 150 in the minutes leading up to the tea break.

Their partnership finally ended when Watson retired hurt with cramps during the tea interval on 201. Their fourth-wicket stand of 329 was a Queensland record.

The Bulls lost quick wickets after the tea break, with Andy Bichel (3) and James Hopes (4) bothing falling caught behind to wicket-keeper Nathan Pilon off the bowling of rookie left-armer Dirk Nannes.

And when Nannes ended Perren's sterling innings on 173, Maher called his side in.

The Bulls' total of 900 eclipsed Queensland's previous highest score of 687 set against New South Wales in 1930-31.

It also surpassed the 710 all out posted by Victoria in the first-class final against Queensland two summers ago.

Victoria holds the record for the highest ever total - 1107 all out against New South Wales in 1926-27 at Melbourne.